-
So You Have a Book to Promote During a Pandemic
How do you spread the word about your upcoming release when the world is on fire?
-
Praise for Queen of None from Publishers Weekly
You know I’m pleased when they call me clever. The review for Queen of None from Publishers Weekly just went live, and I’m still grinning. Is the validation required for writing? No. Does it help? Absolutely. Are things right now a trash fire and this is a much-needed moment of fresh air? You betcha. “…a layered, engaging retelling sure to please fans of the Arthurian tales.” Publishers Weekly I wrote a bit of a longer piece on Facebook about this, and the review process, so I’ll paraphrase here: your writing career is not one review, or even ten reviews. If you want a career in writing, you’ve got to learn…
-
Kirkus Reviews on Queen of None
As publication time comes nearer for Queen of None, reviews are coming in! I was thrilled this morning to find the Kirkus Reviews take on the book: A captivating look at the intriguing figures in King Arthur’s golden realm. Kirkus Reviews I just submitted the last pass on the novel, as well, so the timing was pretty cool. I have so many thoughts right now on this, given the state of everything right now… but it’s truly exciting to see this book resonating. Yes, all books mean a great deal to the writers who craft them. Queen of None is particularly dear, in ways that I can’t quite articulate at…
-
There Are No Guilty Pleasures in Reading
Stop spending time worrying about how impressive your reading list is.
-
A Little Literature Love Part Two: Naomi Novik & Madeline Miller
Two more books, both retellings of well-known myths, make their way to my heart in 2018.
You May Also Like
Netherford Hall is here!
-
Meld With Me: I’m on SFSignal’s Mind Meld, Talking About Superhero Movies
By nature, I pick everything apart. And while that proves true for almost every media stream out there, for some reason when it comes to superhero movies it isn’t a problem. I had a blast going on about some of my most anticipated. I share my thoughts at SFSignal today. Check it out!
-
Thoughts on Booklife Part I: The Pillars of Private Booklife
I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff VanderMeer last week and talk books, fiction, and inspiration. He also brought copies of Booklife and Finch. I haven’t yet jumped into Finch, but man, I’ve got to say, Booklife is the book I wish I had two years ago. I am envious of all the writers out there who have access to this book now, because they have so much essential information in one place. They won’t have to make as many stupid mistakes as I have, nor feel as aimless, floundering around trying to figure out what to do once the book is finished (or even begun, in some cases). No, I don’t mean to imply that Booklife is magic.…
-
It is universally acknowledged that women English majors of a certain age always read Jane Austen.
Unless you’re me. Oh, it isn’t that I never tried. It’s just that Austen always seemed a little too foofy for me, a bit too girlie and modern (to a medievalist, anyway). Not to mention that in undergraduate and graduate studies I was constantly trying to distance myself from women writers and feminist readings because everyone always assumed that’s what I was. I wanted to play with the boys and talk about chivalry and brain bashing. I didn’t want to have anything to do with feminist bullcrap. Yeah. That was pretty stupid of me. I entirely blame my son for my becoming a total feminist. No, on the surface, I…
-
Bookish personality
I’ve been making an attempt to read more. Our power went kaput yesterday, and without electricity, I picked up one of the books I received for Christmas, Emma Bull’s Territory. It had been suggested by a listener a few months ago, who said my style reminded her of Bull’s a bit. I didn’t realize how large of a compliment that was until I picked up and started reading. What strikes me about Bull is her ability to infuse the book with its own personality. It’s beyond narrative voice, something that Paul Jessup was talking about yesterday in his post about narrative urgency. It’s almost to the point where the book…
-
Asus Eee PC review for writers
I’ve been contemplating a netbook for a while. For the last ten years I’ve been a Mac person, having gone through two iBooks and a MacBook, as well as an old iMac and a new iMac. After leaving my job as a copywriter, the MacBook started feeling a little too big for me. Aside from GarageBand, there’s nothing on it that requires much in the way of graphics or memory. I write, I surf the web, period. So when I saw an Asus Eee PC at Best Buy a few weeks ago for $199, I got very curious. I mean, for the price? That’s nuts. I fiddled with the model,…
-
TV Review: Legend of the Seeker
Let’s clear something up first. I’m not an avid TV watcher. I don’t stake out stations like I used to, planning my evenings around programming. When I watch a show, it’s usually on DVD and most likely cancelled–a la Firefly–or on its way out, like Battlestar Galactica. And my route to the show usually involves someone, like in the case of Lost, insisting to me that this MUST BE SEEN. Because of this filter of friends and a distance from commercial interruption, I think I tend to hit right most of the time. Except with Heroes. What has been seen cannot be unseen. So, it was through the casual mention…
